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Monday, August 11, 2014

The Great Outdoors

To celebrate 4th of July weekend, we went camping! Honestly, I can't remember the last time we headed out into the great outdoors for a camping weekend. It's been at least a year, maybe two. We're "car campers" and I have a few requirements - 2 night maximum in a tent, a bathroom (port-a-potty is fine), an air mattress and of course, s'mores. A few months back, Marlon had found online an Icelandic Horse farm in Vermont, so I thought camping near the horse farm would be the perfect weekend! I booked a reservation at Allis State Park and we packed up the car and headed out early.

We made it to Vermont early enough to set up camp and make our 2 pm trail ride. I was so excited and nervous about riding a horse. I haven't rode a horse since I was about 12 at Triple R Ranch. Icelandic horses are a smaller breed and are known to be friendly and docile. On my release form, I marked novice as my experience and tried to act confident. It only took two tries to hop on the horse. My horse was calm and patient with me. Marlon was a natural, of course. It was so much fun!

After the ride, we stopped at the grocery store for our campsite food. It was kind of late, so we ate dinner out instead of going back to camp to cook on the fire. We were pooped from the ride. Don't judge.

Before we left I posted on Facebook, "We're going camping, what I am forgetting?" I got a ton of great responses and brought everything that was suggested. You know what no one suggested? A jacket or sweatshirt. It was freezing that first night in the tent. Mountains in Vermont = chilly. I had to resort to adding beach towels on top of my blanket to keep warm. The next morning, I said we have to go shopping. I'm too cold. We cooked breakfast over the fire, I sat with my blanket around me. We jumped in the car and went to TJ Maxx and Big Lots to buy a sweatshirt and a comforter. I know.... After our purchases, we went straight back to the campground to do camping things. We took a hike, climbed a fire tower, sat around our fire and ate everything. It was nice to get away from the city and distractions and spend time together. I can't wait to go again! I think we have everything now.

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